Tire building apparatus



Aug. 20, 1946.

E. MILLER TIRE BUILDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22-, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l om Qtwmu INVENTOR. Egan/v 07241.53.

BY Z f ug. 20,, 19 46 E. MILLE R 2,406,093

TIRE' BUILDING APPARATUS I Filed Sept. 22. v1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. EDWIN (0714,45;

BYa:

'n TTOR/YEY,

Aug. 20, 1946. E, MILLER TIRE BUILDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1944 I s Sheets-Sheet a IN VEN TOR. fiawzlv WILLEE. W

Patented Aug. 20, 1946 TIRE BUILDING APPARATUS Edwin Miller, Jeannette, Pa. Application September 22, 1944, Serial No. 555,264

. "1 1 f '1 Claims.

.1 My invention more especially relates to apparatus for stitching or rolling down the fabric plies of rubber tires, upon a tire building drum. One object of the invention is to provide means supplemental to the usual tacker discs or wheels,

for effecting preliminary adhesion of the fabric plies, so that there will be less danger of wrinkling of the plies by the stitching discs or wheels.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the fabric plies or layers that extend beyond the ends of the drum are caused to adhere to one another and to be shaped in such manner as to facilitate the placing of the bead cores.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means whereby stitching discs or tacker discs may be so adjusted that they will more effectively produce a wiping or smoothing action during their travel toward the ends of the drum,

so as to prevent wrinkles being formed'in the fabric during stitching operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a face view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal view of a portion of the apparatus taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an-enlarged view, partly in section, showing details of means for adjusting. the tacker discs; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the manner in which the stitchers may be adjusted; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing certain of the tacker discs of the stitcher discs in angularly adjusted positions; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view showing the manner in which the fabric plies are bent radially inward at the end of the drum, for receiving a bead core. My invention may be applied to various forms of mechanism other than that shown in the drawings and in conjunction with stitchers of various well known forms which are shifted in opposite directions axially, from the middle of the drum face to th ends thereof, a single pair' of stitcher discs or wheels being commonly employed. I

A conventional tire form drum 8 is driven by a shaft 9. The numerals l and II indicate stitchers that may be of any well known form, although they are here shown in Figs. and 6 as being angularly adjustable. These discs are carried by brackets l2 and I3 slidably supported on a rod I5 (Fig. 2) whose ends are supported in frame members I6 and II,.the brackets being simultaneously slid in opposite directions across th face of the drum by a screw it journaled in the frame members I6 and IT, and turned by a hand wheel I9 or other suitable source of power, as explained more in detail hereafter. The stitchers I0-II are respectively connected to the brackets I2 and I3, by arms 20 (Fig. 5) having extensions 2I on which the stitchers are jour naled and which are angularly adjustable on Y .2 screw-threaded stud 22, jam vided to hold the extensions 2| in their adjusted positions. The stitchers may be set either in planes perpendicular to theaxis of the tire-form'- ing drum 8 or angularly as shown in Fig. 6. Two sets of tacker wheels or discs 24 are carried by arms 25 and their extensions 26 that are screw threaded 'on the arms and held in angular positions of adjustment by jam nuts 21, whereby the discs can be adjusted angularly as indicated n 6. The arms .25 are hingedly connected at 28 to the bracket I2 and I3 and are yieldably held in parallelism therewith by springs 30, screw studs 3|, and wing nuts 32, the wing nuts being adjustable on the studs to vary the yieldable re-- sistance to movement of the arms 25 on their hinges. The edges or peripheral surfaces of the 7 discs 24 are toothed or serrated, to reduce danger of wrinkling of the fabric duringthe tacking and stitching thereof into place on the drum,v since there will not be as much crowding of the fabric layers as would be the case with smooth-faced tacker wheels. I A set screw' 33 is providedufor each tacking disc,*to serve as a stop for-limiting movement of the arm 25 toward'th bracket and hence to provide for radial adjustmentof the tacker discs with'respect to the drum 8. The

brackets I2 and I3 are slid along the rod I5 by yokes 35 that are also slidable on the rod I5 and have threaded engagement with the screw, I8.

At their lower ends, the brackets l2 and I3 have slidable engagement with a guide rod 36 whose ends are supported on hangers 31 loosely supported by the rod I5. The rod 35 extends through a link 38 whose lower end is pivotally connected to a pedal lever 39 so that when a foot pedal- 40 is depressed, the brackets I2-I3 and their associated stitchers and' 'ta'cker .wheel will be moved against the drum asshown in Fig.2;

Turning of the screw shaft I8 willthen move the two sets of discs toward opposite ends of the drum ,8, to tack and stitch thefabric plies into place,

the operator meanwhile holding down the pedal 40 with a desired pressure. When the discs pass off the ends of the drum, they will depress the fabric plies 42 as shown in Fig. 7, to permit of j conveniently'placing the bead cores preliminary to wrapping the edges of the fabric around the same. 'A stop screw. 43 on the base of the machine is adjustable to limit pedal movement and hence the extent to which the fabric will be bent inwardat the ends of the drum.

Upon completion of this operation, removal of the operator's foot will permit aspring 44. to raise the pedalandjswing the stitcher'ajnd tacker discs away from the drum thereupon the" hand wheel I9 will be rotated 'to return the discs to their starting positions, near the middle of the drum.

The tacking discs 24 exert a yieldable pressure on the plies by reason of their springs 30, the

nuts 23 being pro-' to the stitchers It] and H.

ha velpassed beyondjthe endthereof,

V 3 springs nearer the ends of the drum being usually set underless tension than those springs nearest lighter pressure ontthe, fabric thanndotthe stitche ers and efigeciga preliminary adhesion ofLthe fabric plies to one another at gradually increasing pressures as they move toward the ends of the drum. I I

There is thus less danger of wrinkling of the fabric plies under the heavy stitching pres-suresthan where tacker discs are not employed. Afewer or greater number of tacker discs ma be used, de-' pending upon the size of the drum.

ing disc, a plurality of tacking discs associated in 1 unitary relationship with the stitching disc,

.The tackers exert 7 I means for shifting the stitching disc and its asso,ci atedltacking .-discs axiallyeof the1,drum while The tacker discs serve the further purposecf assisting 'in-uniting fabric plies that eXtehd-be-' 'yond the ends of the drum, since they will be moved; :somewhatxby .theiraspnings closer to the ,axiss-cf' t-he. drum than'arethe stitcher III-I2 (zsee-gFli'ga'll and'theicentrifugal force of the fabric:plies'duringrotation of th drum will-hold them somewhat snugly against 'thediscs, to eflect slight'adhes'ion'of the; fabric layersat their edges,

and thereby facilitate; placing ofthe bead core when: the 'stitchersihave completed their work. After-placingof the; bead cores the fabric will be wrappedraround' them in any-suitable manner, as shown-tion exampl'eain "my Patent 2,320,190.

1 Tendency ofirthe j'fabric plies" to" wrinkle during stitching, mayfurtherl be overcome by-tilting the stitchers and:tacking discs angularly as shown-in Fig; 6 and, thusproducing a, wiping: action onthe fabric from themid'i pointtoward the ends v of' the eclaim myinvention? 71:,Tireiibuildingapparatus. comprisin a rotatabledrum for receiving fabric plies; a pair of stitching discs positioned to press th'e plles onthe drum; meansfori simultaneously: shifting the discs inopposite directions; from mid points. on the' drum face-,fltowardz the ends there,oi;-a'.pivotallymounted tacking gelement' 7 associated with each stitchingudisc;"injpositiorr to move in advance thereofgand arranged to; effect'inco'mplete adhesion' ofthe plies: to one another,- and a spring 3. Tire? building "apparatuscomprising; a V .ro-

tatable i drum for receiving; fabric plies; 'a. stitchfingdisc, aphiralityL of tacking discs associated finnunitary relationship with the stitching disc, means for shifting the stitching'discand its asj sociatedv tacking discs: axially .oi the drum;- While inengagementiwith; the fabric. plies, with the tacking,,.discs, in advance of the-stitching disc, i (suchdi-stance', that the discs. willlbe-carriedbeyond the'en'ds of the drurna and, springs for mov 1 ing the, tacking discs toward .the' axis of, thedr lm independently 1 of the stitching disc, after they .4; 'I'iregbuilding apparatus comprising aro:

j tatable .for receiving 'fabri plies, ,a. stitch:

in. engagement with the fabric plies, suchdistance v that the discs will be carried beyond the ends of a the drum, and means for moving the discs a slight distance toward the axis of the drum after they have passed beyond the end thereof, the tacking discs being moved further toward said axis than the'stitching disc.

5;.1'Iire ,buildin'g apparatus comprising a rotatable,, drum for receiving fabric plies, a pivotally-mounted bracket, means for rocking the bracket on an axis parallel to the axis of the drum;v means for moving'thebrack'etparallel to said-axis; from a'midpoint'cn. the drunr face toward one endthereofl-a stitching disc rotatablymountedon arfixe axis on the bracketin positiontobear against iabric plies on the drum, arms pivotally connected to said bracket, at their inner ends, tacking "discs rotatably nr1ounted' onthe outer endsfof the said 'arms,inposition to engage fabric onthe drum, at points between the stitching disc and said end of the'dru'm, and springs 'for yieldably holding the'said arms againstpiv otal movements backwardly relative to the bracket when the bracketis rocked'in a direction to move the discs against fabric on the drum.

- 6. Tire buildingappal atus' comprising a rotatable drum for receiving fabric plies, 'a pivot ally -mounted' bracket, means for rocking :the

bracketon an axis parallel to the-axis of the drum,

means for moving thedbracket parallel to said axis, from a mid; point onthe drum face'toward" one 7 end thereof, a i st-itching 'disc rotatably mounted on a fixed axison. the-bracket, in positionto bear against f'abric plies on the drum, arms pivotally connected to said bracket, at their inner 3 ends, tacking "discs 'rotatablyemount'ed on the" outer ends of "the aid arms; in :position to engage fabric onthe drum at points between'the stitching disc and saidend of the drum, and" springs for; yieldably holding the said arms against pivotal movements "backwardl-y. relativetov the bracket when the bracket'ris rocked in-a direction to move the discs against'fabric on thefdrum; the springs being independentlyadjustable to vary their re spective effective forces. r a i.

'7. Tire building apparatus-comprising a r0- tatabl'e drumflfor receiving fabric plies, a pivotally-mounted bracket; means: for rocking. the bracket" On an axis-parallel to the axis of'thej drum; means-for movingsthe bracketparallel to said axis, from: amid point-,on the drum face toi ward one end thereof, -a'-; stitching dlSCi rotatably mountedwonf a1:fixedfl-axis on1-therlcracket; in posiftion to bear against fabric plies on the drum,i arms piVotally-conneetedtd said, bracket; at? their inner ends, tacking :discs; rotatably'i-mounted" on the outer ends of-t-hesaid 'acmsrinrposition-to;en gage fabricon the-drum, at points-between the stitching disc and said end" of the drum, springs for yieldablyholdingthe said arm again-stgpivotalz movements backwardl t relative to the bracket; whenthe bracket-isrockedrin a directionto move the, discs against: fabricon the s dnum', and means for changing theiangularity of thee tacking; discs relative to theirraxes; independentlyeffthe-stitch? ing-@1150; I 

